


Stuck on

by hippnote



Category: Homestuck
Genre: 1920s, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - 1920s, Alternate Universe - Prohibition Era, Gangs, Guns, Nonbinary Character, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Speakeasies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 23:41:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18905038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hippnote/pseuds/hippnote
Summary: Karkat Vantas,bar tender and rumrunner for one of the most secretive speakeasies the 1920s had to behold,the Unsigned.His father,Kyle or usually known as the Signless,has entrusted in him a task to go fetch some gin from the morgue. Things dont go too well when he meets a boy by the name 'Dave'Dave Strider,singer and new owner of one of the most well known gin mill's around,the Crows Nest.It was one night when he had to leave his underground speakeasy to go fetch hooch for himself and friends when he met a grumpy egg by the name of 'Karkat'[The author is currently rewrting the whole fic,so if you remember the story from months ago,its going to be different!]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ehehh I cant keep my grubby little paws off the 1920s,now can i?
> 
> this fic will actually fall into a schedule, until its finished!
> 
> every monday or sunday,the fic will be updated!
> 
> also,at the very end if you got confused with any 1920s slang theres a lil glossary to help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HHEYY!! a couple months l8er and my writing has improved and im revamping this shit!! whoop whoop!

"Here's to alcohol, the rose colored glasses of life.”  
― F. Scott Fitzgerald

Music of soft jazz and haunting violin refrains sang from within the bowels of the Unsigned.People danced and became encompassed in the music,all while intoxicated by substances that were under a heavy law that prohibited it.Large hallways decked with marble flooring and dark oak as an accent to the massive marble pillars that held up the cave ceiling to the dance hall. A bright chandelier hung over the crowd,its glinting red crystals basking the room scarlet.

Shadows cast into dark corners where oil lamps had been blown out and a small figure exited a door located behind a granite top bar counter.The figure dipped into a large expansive hallway where orange lights illuminated a red carpeted path.The figure,now clear to see as a young boy due to the new exposure to light,stomped down the halls.Music from the dance room still echoed into the hallway where the boy romped through the corridor,his face seemingly twisted into a snarl as he knew the path he was currently following.His scraggly locks of hair bounced as he walked,and his crimson eyes glinted with anger against his warm caramel skin.He reared a sharp turn and turned down into a separate hallway where a pair of tall double doors stood at the end.The doors appeared almost threatening,like a warning to any danger that stood behind them.

The young man stopped his power walk in front of the doors and hovered a hand over its brass handle before hesitating.He sucked in a large breath and his face contorted into an even nastier look and he twisted the knob and flung the door open.Behind the door was an almost normal office space,a large desk in the middle and mess of a room stacked with storage units and bookshelves.at the desk was a man with black bristled hair,similar to the furious boys, with his head tilted down as he scratched angrily at the shelf of paper beneath him.

He looked up from his work to see the young man enter and he greeted him with a warm “Ah,here to yell at me again?” as if the doors to the office space being flung open was a normal and not if daily occurrence.”Yes dad! I am here to ramble my ugly fucking mouth off at you and your inane desire to force me to do your ridiculous chores!” The younger yelled,his voice erupting like a volcanoes as he stomped over to his ‘fathers’ desk.

The man gave a hearty laugh,his teeth glinting like pearls as he adjusted in his seat to turn to look at the angry boy.”Chores? Absurd!” he said with false exasperation,his voice booming but not even close to being loud as the boys"I wouldn't call them chores,theyre more like work you should be doing instead of bar tending and scaring off patrons"The man spoke again,his voice light and airy but still sounding like a scold.

The boys mouth opened as he prepared to give protest but was quickly cut short by a large hand the covered his mouth.The man gave a soft smile and picked up the piece of paper from off his desk before handing it to the younger.”Not a word more Karkat or you are grounded,you hear? Take our boiler and go to the address and pick up our shipment.Keep your mouth shut,I wouldnt want our best seller to bail on us because we have a sourpuss in our ranks” The man spoke,his voice loud and clear but also warm and close to playful as he commanded ‘Karkat’.

The boy was about to protest again but took the paper and let out a rolling groan before turning on his heels and storming away,his cherry red eyes screwing shut as he slammed shut the office doors behind him.

The man on the other side gave a gentle chuckle as he moved in his chair and began writing again as he set a pair of cheaters over his ruby red eyes and watched his charge disappear.he paused for a moment to fix the gold plated name tag that sat proudly on his desk,making sure that the bold "SIGNLESS" engraving was clear to the next visitor of his abode.

Karkat stormed through the halls,grumbling loudly to himself as he clutched the loose leaf in his hand and read it to himself.He eyed the address as he traveled through hallways and eventually exited the labyrinth of walkways through a silver knobbed door.On the other side of the door was an storage room with a cement stair case leading upwards.Karkat walked up the steps and pushed open a latched door that sat atop the steps and entered a large garage built of steel.he kicked the hatch shut with his heel and and stepped through the dimly lit building.Large metal beams supported the tin canopy of the roof,and casted dark shadows through the building.Through the darkness was a figure that glinted as moonlight bounced off its bulky frame.

Karkat trotted through the warehouse and over to the figure in the corner,ducking an arm underneath it to pick up a pair of keys before pulling open a door and jamming keys into the ignition.

Bright floodlights flooded the warehouse and illuminated every corner of the industrial building.There was the sputter of a motor before a car door slammed closed and a Black Model T came to life and drove out of a large industrial building,its driver an unhappy rum runner

It wasnt too long of a drive through a dark and dreary city,past large hotels and people lurking about at ungodly hours,before there were trees and dirt roads leading through a tall pine forest.Sharp turns,an almost hit and run with a stray fawn on the road,and a few moments of angry yelling before Karkat pulled onto a large expansive driveway shielded by trees that hid the moon from view.At the end of the driveway was a large house,white slated siding and yellow light escaping from its windows like a lantern as it stood ontop of a large hill surrounded by graves.

Karkat felt uneasy as he drove up to the house and parked a few yards away from the patio that surrounded the house.As he exited the vehicle,he couldn't help but feel eyes boring into the back of his head as he glanced at the graves that surrounded him like a fortress.The young bartender walked in a rushed walk,passing a sign with chipped paint that read "STITCHES FUNERAL HOUSE EMPORIUM-1923-_" in dark purple.Karkat rocked on his feet as he worriedly looked around before knocking at the entry door.

A moment unbearably stretched on as Karkat impatiently waited for someone to answer the door.A wind chime spooked him and drew his attention away long enough for the door to open and a tall,lanky figure to be standing there.

Karkat nearly yelped when he turned back to look at door,only to see someone standing in the doorway,their thin shaped blocking out light and casting a shadow onto the the shorter and newer mafia member.The figure turned out to be a man,his face painted white to look like a skeletons,and his lips pursed shut as his bright purple eyes examined Karkat with unknown interest.Karkat had to clear the growing lump in his throat before speaking in a calm but growling voice.

"Greetings sir,im here to pick up a shipment that the Signless requested and paid for"Karkat said with great formality as his crimson red eyes meeting with man in the doorways.The skinny man in the doorway had a blank face before it suddenly twisted into one that just screamed with subtle delight.He raised a hand that was at his side and did a hand motion that summoned Karkat forward.Not want to face the stranger with any sort of impoliteness, even though the boy was filled with it,he came forward.

the tall and lanky man stepped aside and allowed Karkat entry before shutting the door behind him.The whole interior of the house smelled and screamed of death.Karkat could vaguely see in a separate room what appeared to be someones feet,but tinted with a dark blue color and missing a toe or two,ontop of a metal table.Another person moved about in another room,they were very tall and Karkat only caught a glimpse of a wild mane of black hair before he felt bony hands over his shoulders and he was propelled through a long hallway.

Karkat voiced a protest but was cut short as he was shuffled like an office file into a room.It happened fast enough that Karkat didnt hear a door slam until he was on the floor of a dingy room.He looked around wildly,spotting the door he presumably just came from and noticed it had no knob on this side.The still stunned rum runner rose to his feet and wiped the grime off of his shirt before going over to the door and begin filled with anger.he started pounding on it and kicked it before ultimately giving up.His string of colorful curses also found useless for opening a door.

The boy gave a final groan and slammed his head against the door before slumping against it and facing the rest of the room.He dutifully noted that he wasn't alone in the room.

Standing ontop of a table,with wild blonde hair and a collection of darts in one hand was a boy with skin white as ceramic.He appeared Karkats age as he tossed a dart to the forehead of a mounted deer head,His white clothes caked in dried blood,and a pair of black sunglasses hid his eyes even though the room was dark and only illuminated by the flames that roared in a shitty brick fireplace.

"Sup"The stranger greeted,his voice smooth like honey with a small hint of a western accent. Karkat didn't reply as he watched him with a deep scowl engraved onto his face as he looked at the Boy tossing darts on a table.

The silence was unbearable before the Stranger spoke again.

"Are you deaf or are you mute like good ole stitches out there.Oh man he probably is having a good old laugh outside that door right now.I bet you top kale that hes snickering over himself as he drinks a corpses blood like a fucking vampire.Oh god how would he break it the news to that dead guys family about the two bite marks on his neck.Maybe they'll find out because he doesn't speak,or they might find our two bodies just chillin in the backroom,all dead and stuff with a family of spiders living in our eyesockets.Maybe they might even find the kind of business that he runs here,and maybe they'll call that cute girl from the police station.Cant believe they hired a girl on the detective force honestly though,id think shed be better as a law enforcer ya know? Her tits in someones face as she handcuffs them down to a pole and tells the the laws or whatever all while doing that crazy cackle she did with me and-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP FOR ONE FUCKING SECOND YOU NOOK WHIFFING PIECE OF APE SHIT!"Karkat screamed,cutting off the boy and his long winding ramble.

A dart landed dead in the fire place as the boy on the table turned to look at Karkat as he now stood next to the table he was on.A smirk ghosted on the blondes face as he looked over Karkat with a thin brow raised.He tossed a red dart blindly and landed a bulls eye on a spot between the deer's eyes.The stoic face blonde payed no attention to the score as he started to speak again.

"So the dewdropper finally speaks! And hes a loud one at that too.Nookwhiffer? Very original,ill give you props for that Mr.Shouty.Never been called that one before.I have been called a dirty wench before though too,but that was mainly because Ms.Jenkins from across the street thinsk that im possessed by some spirit or whatever and she wants to do some crazed ritual to rid the demon as she says.I honestly think shes just a little crazed in the head,but who knows.Just gotta wait for that Holy water mumbo jumbo to arrive and ill finally believe for once. Probably not for long though since she might die any day now and I swear shes gonna die from being around all those cats.I mean dont get me wrong,cats are cool and all.My sister has a black one named jasper and hes cool and all but i think Roxys kitten mutie is far cuter.I mean hes got lil ey-"

Blondie is cut off again by Karkat,but this time through being angrily tackled onto the floor.There was hardly any struggle as Karkat pushed the taller man onto the floor and held him down by his wrists as he began to yell but was roughly bonked in the face by the Blondes forehead.Karkats hands released the Blondes wrists as he pushed himself off of him to clutch his face as it seared with pain.The stranger rose to his feet after he shoved Karkat off of him,a dart still clutched in his hand as he stared down at the Karkat on the floor.

"Really dude?You made me miss that shot.I was so close to hittin' a bullseye again" He stranger groaned as he shook the dart in his hand and lazily tossed it into the fireplace and watched it melt.Karkat was unable to catch his eyes from under the pair of shades,and this miraculously made him even more furious.Who the fuck wears shades indoors?

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?"Karkat snarled as he staggered to his feet,using the table as leverage as the taller blonde gave a short walk to crouch infront of the fire."WHY ARE YOU WEARING SHADES INDOORS AND HOW IN THE NAME OF SWEET BABY GOD DAMNED JEGUS ARE YOU SO CALM ABOUT BEING LOCKED INTO A ROOM WITH NO POSSIBLE EXITS?"

Time seemed to pause for a moment and everything got still,nothing made any noise except for the creak of stairs and the gentle crackle of hungry flames.There was a shuffling of noises from the ceiling and Karkat lifted his head to peer above him.The blond made no motion to move to look,acting like the unexplained noises were normal to him.The noises continued and there was soon a banging before a loud muffle scream erupted and was cut abruptly short.Karkat flinched slightly as the cry for help ended but soon settled and frowned before looking back to the Stranger int he room with him.

"Dave"The blonde boy started "My name is Dave"

Karkat looked at the back of Daves head,hesitating before saying "Karkat." and completing the name exchange.

Dave turned to face Karkat his face a blank slate but a brow was raised as he gave a questioning "Who even named you?" playfully and marched over to sit on a broken and beat up couch.Karkat was about to answer in a stream of roaring words but was silenced by Dave adding "Wont matter anyways since they wont be able to find your body once they come looking for you here." in a grim tone.

Karkat was soon motivated by a small pat on the couch from Dave and a "sit" to sit next to Dave on the couch.He made his way over and sat the farthest away he could get from him.A nasty look still carved on his face while he subtly glanced at Dave and examined every facial feature while searching for any sort of emotion under the sea of blank.Karkat noticed a dusting of freckles on Dave's cheeks, and faint scars that peppered his jaw bone.Kakrat,now realizing he was staring looked away grumpily,to the darkest corner of the room.

It was silence until more screams could be heard from upstairs and Karkat slowly began to feel sick.He had killed maybe one or two people in the past,but that was only for a job and only when push ultimately came to shove.He didnt want to kill,but he had to.but whoever was murdering people upstairs was possibly doing it for fun,and was most likely going to treat him and Dave the same in the not far future.

Karkat gave a small groan and rested his head on the couch and lazily shutting his eyes,basically accepting fate.He didnt accept it long before he was pulled behind the couch and a hand was crammed over his mouth with force.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gonna upd8 this whenever i rember to or get into the writing spirit.most likely on weekends.who knows.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh, whats this?another revamped chapter? _amazing ___

“Life is a disease, brother, and death begins already at birth. Every breath, every heartbeat, is a moment of dying - a little shove toward the end.”  
― Erich Maria Remarque

 

Karkat struggled as the wind was knocked from him and a hand was forcefully placed over his mouth to keep him from making noise.He tried to shout but was immediately silenced by loud shushing in his ear.He looked around,now behind the couch,in a sort of sprawled out position as he could feel what he assumed was Daves hand clamped over his mouth,while the other was loosely gripped to his dress shirt to keep him down.

There was the loud creak of a door opening and loud stomping.It wasn't clear to see who entered,but Karkat had a feeling that whoever it was,they weren't nice.Karkat remembered the pea shooter he was packing and used a freehand to hurriedly dig in his pants for his gun.But all that was in his gun pocket was a note,written in chicken scratch with dark purple pencil,with the word “sorry :’0(“ Karkat mentally yelled at whoever left the note and crumpled it up in his hand and shoved it back into his pocket with force.

The hand around his mouth loosend as he looked up,his eyes meeting with Grape colored orbs that glowed like torches.Karkat froze,his body going rigid like a blank as he was over taken with fear.He could feel Dave behind him also go still,and the room fell silent.The scary looking man,with wild scraggly hair and a growing grin.his face was painted like a clowns and he reeked of bile.”Aw whad’ya doin behind the couch bros? Dont you know its motherfuckin all rude to be hidin' and shit? C’mon, I got y’alls packages” The clown said as he gave a lazy grin and used a hand to summon the two to their feet.Karkat obeyed first,relaxing his jumpy nerves and rising to his feet and climbing out from behind the couch.

Dave followed,more wearily this time,his face still blank and unreadable.The stranger with the wild hair and lazy grin had two large crates held in one arm as he staggered higher than Dave and Karkat.He handed the two their crates and said a slurry “Sorry for the wait bros,we had some business and shit hit the fan.” He paused for a moment before adding “oh and heres this” And ducking his shaky hand into his loose trouser pocket and pulled out a small pistol.Recognition flickered in Karkats eyes as he used a hand that wasnt holding a crate full of illegal substances to snatch the gun from the clowns grasp.He shuffled it into his undershirt,grumbling low under his scratchy voice.Dave watched with shielded eyes as Karkat moved towards the open doorway,silently noticing the way he walked stiff but like one of those new ‘movies’.

Dave trailed after Karkat as the shorter stomped out of the room and out of the door,the house now completely dark,except for a light on the porch that spilled yellow out the doorway and on the welcoming mat.

As the back to the car opened,and a crate was placed carefully in the back,Karkat entered the car and started up the engine again.He spotted the tall clown and the slightly shorter one with the skeleton face paint and the suit.He glared at the taller one as he lazily smiled and leaned against the door frame,his clothes sagging and moving unnaturally.As Karkat began to pull out of the driveway,he noticed Dave while he maneuvered between stone graves and stopped infront of one before kneeling and placing something down.The car pulled out of the driveway,and began to back up into the safety of the woods against before the passenger door was tugged open and Dave nonchalantly climbed inside.”What are you doing in my car?”Karkat growled at Dave,his eyes burning into the stoic face boys eyes.Dave shrugged before giving a cocky smile.”Oh you know,the usual.Hitchhiking.”

Karkats eye twitched and he weighed his options carefully.He didn't want to deal with Dave,even if they met briefly and he had hardly a reason to hate him,other than his stupidly good face and his rambles that seemingly wouldn't end.Dave stared at him before turning his attention out the window as he watched the trees outside begin to move past as the car started into motion again.Karkat drove out of the woods silently,his eyebrows furrowed,glances being passed to Dave who stayed looking out the window.The silence was seemingly crushing the driver.And the passenger.Dave leaned back,his head now facing Karkats as he hands that were at his sides now rested on the crate in his lap.”So karks,where are we headin?”southern dripping from Daves voice while he spoke.

“Possibly the dump,where i'm going to mutilate you and hide your body along the garbage where you belong”Karkat replied gruffly,his eyes glaring daggers into Dave.

Dave smirked at that and said a whiny “Aw shucks,didnt know you would go through all that trouble jus’ for me! Im flattered,really.” and picked up a hand to hold it over his forehead,imitating a damsel in distress.

Karkat growled lowly before saying a flat “The next building I fucking see,im dropping you off at it and leaving your sorry ass behind.”

Dave just smiled.

“Hows about you drop me off at the Crows Nest library? I really need to do some readin' and catch up on my studies.”

“What do you study?How much hooch you can swallow before you upchuck and the police find your rotten and disgusting corpse shoved between books?”Karkat snarked back.

“Bingo”

Karkat gave an exaggerated eye roll as he entered the city and drove.Dave said a few remarks on buildings and businesses they passed,The driver said nothing.

Karkats pocket watch said a quarter past 3 as he rolled up to the library,Dave shoved the door open and slid out smoothly.He landed swiftly and shut the door,turning to look at Karkat before walking backwards towards the library with a sly grin on his face as he left.He did a small hand salute and Karkat stared on,before shoving the gas pedal and leaving the large marble library behind.He drove fast,too fast to notice the note that sat on the passenger seat.The note with a phone number written in ink,and a smudged winky face in the corner.

“What took you so long?”The smooth,motherly voice of the lady behind the counter asked.Her lips a dark evergreen against her dark cocoa skin black hair cut into an overgrown bob.Her eyes focused on the state of the grumpy Karkat infront of her.

“Took a road trip through hell”He murmured groggily as he set the crate of booze down on the counter that separated him from his long time best friend Kanaya.

“Dutifully noted”Kanaya uttered under her breath while she simultaneously took the crate from off the counter and used her heel to open the back door behind her.She exited the cafe and Karkat followed like a lost puppy.

Kanaya walked through a storage room stocked with cooking supplies and a few machines,but the carpet at her shoe heels as red as Karkats eyes.Kanaya stepped over to an open area of wall where the roll of red carpet ended and pulled a butter knife out from apron pocket.She jammed it into a hole between two black tiles and a click resounded throughout the storage room.Karkat shut the door,and left the two in total darkness before the wall fell back and a hallway was revealed to Kanaya.

The hallway stretched on,wallpaper a deep red and the lights a dim orange.Faint jazz music could be heard now,and Karkat did a practiced motion of pulling the hidden door closed and latched it tightly,resetting the lock with a flick of a finger on a lever.

Kanaya’s apron came off with ease as Karkat silently untied it,and helped Kanaya flash off the glamorous dress that was beneath it.It was dark green,cut above her ankles,and the top was lace.It was Kanaya’s style,fashionable and made by her own hands.Karkat rushed ahead of graceful diva to open the door for her,allowing her entrance into a heavily populated room.

People were dancing,their bodies swaying along with the sweet jazz.Patrons sat at round tables,in cushioned velvet chairs in one corner.Karkat spotted a wall flower,standing in the back,dressed in a tuxedo and quietly chatting to a taller gentleman. Karkat took the crate from Kanaya and hurriedly rushed over to the bar that was being manned by a chatty bartender.He was dressed in a white work shirt,with a dark red sweater vest,and was talking to one very bored woman at the counter more than pouring drinks for other customers.Karkat gave a huff as he climbed over the bar counter and shoved the crate under the counter.

”So you finally returned from that chore of yours?you know I think I do a far better job at this whole bar tending thing than you d-”The snobby bartender was forcefully smacked in the mouth by Karkat before he could finish.”NOT NOW KANKRI”Karkat snarled fiercely,ultimately shutting up his brother and causing him to remove the bar tending vest and forking it over to Karkat.Kankri rushed away,his finely combed black hair bobbing behind a back door.Karkat tucked on the vest,rolled up his sleeves,ran a hand through his long curly locks of hair,and stepped up to the bar counter and began to take orders.

Meanwhile on stage,up stepped Kanaya,wearing emerald green heels and glowing like a goddess.She grabbed onto the microphone onstage and dipped it before she began to sing,her voice dripped with grace and women and folks alike paused momentarily in their swings to watch the vampire queen sing her melody as she basked in the green light of the stage fame.

A woman sat on a chair in the far back,her violet eyes tracing each movement the lady in green made.Every step,everytime she paused to take an inhale,every moment she looked back to the woman in the back with the pretty eyes and winked.The violet eyed woman just smiled from the shadows,legs crossed,eyes still following.

It was only a moment later before a boy with a pair of shades joined her,his eyes searching not for the enchantress on stage,but for a grumpy man with a mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy day of the raid yall

**Author's Note:**

> egg-man  
> dew dropper-ugly man or man without a job and is a big wallow  
> cheaters-another word for glasses  
> jack-good or fine and dandy  
> rumrunner-self explanatory  
> speak easy- spot to drink alcohol,while its illegal  
> hooch-gin or bootleg liquor


End file.
